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| {{Era|Forerunner|Covenant|Human|UNSC|HCW|Post|FA}}
| | #Redirect [[Kig-Yar]] |
| {{Ratings}}
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| {{Cleanup}}
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| {{Covenant Species Infobox
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| |name= Kig-yar<br/> (Latin ''Perosus latrunculus'')
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| |image= [[File:JackalSniper.png|250px]]
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| |homeworld= [[Eayn]]
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| |height= {{Convert|6.8|ft|cm}}<ref name="ENC">'''''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''''': ''page 147''</ref>
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| |weight= {{Convert|195|lb|kg}}<ref name="ENC"/>
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| |skincolor= Orange, dark green, pale brown, etc.
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| |distinctions= Tall and slender with large, pale eyes, claws, and razor-sharp teeth.
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| |weapons=
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| |equipment=
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| |types=*[[Kig-yar Ranger|Ranger]]
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| *[[Kig-yar Sniper|Sniper]]
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| *[[Kig-yar Zealot|Zealot]]
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| *[[Kig-yar Major|Major]]
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| *[[kig-yar Minor|Minor]]
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| *[[Skirmisher]]
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| |affiliation= [[Covenant Empire]], later [[Covenant Loyalist]]s
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| |notable= *[[Bok]]
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| *[[Chur 'R-Mut]]
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| *[[Chur'R-Yar]]
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| *[[Jak]]
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| *[[Kig-Yar Pirate Prince|"Pirate Prince"]]
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| *[[Reth]]
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| *[[Yeg]]
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| *[[Zhar (Kig-yar)|Zhar]]
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| |othernames=
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| *Buzzard
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| *Chicken
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| *Crow
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| *Jackal
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| *Killer Bird
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| *Turkey
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| *Tree Turkey
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| *Vulture
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| }}
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| {{Quote|Jackals may be superior marksmen and they're very sneaky, but that doesn't make them excellent snipers — they’re way too bloodthirsty for that.| Anonymous [[UNSC]] serviceman}}
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| The '''Kig-yar''' (Latin: ''Perosus latrunculus'', translated to "Hateful Highwayman"<ref>[http://carnage.bungie.org/haloforum/halo.forum.pl?read=865756 '''HBO Forums''']</ref>) are a saurian species<ref name="B.net">[http://www.bungie.net/projects/odst/guide.aspx '''Bungie.net''': ODST Guide]</ref> which serve the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]], and later the [[Covenant Loyalists]], as mercenaries and privateers. [[Human]]s have termed the two races of these these vicious creatures '''Jackals''' and '''Skirmishers''', as they are known for their swiftness, viciousness, and dexterity, despite their physical frailty. In combat, Kig-yar serve as either snipers or scouts within the Covenant due to their excellent senses of sight, smell, and hearing.
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| ==History==
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| {{SectStub}}
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| Once, the Kig-yar culture was centered around rival clans sailing across [[Eayn]]'s seas as pirates, raiding the encampments and settlements of rival clans. As the distances between the clans diminished, so too did the differences, and a united Kig-yar race reached out to the stars in spacecraft, beginning to populate small asteroids around [[Chu'ot]]. Some of these saw opportunity, and became [[Space Piracy|pirates]] once more, raiding merchant ships. These were apparently the Kig-yar's only effective response to the overwhelming [[Covenant Military|Covenant military]] juggernaut when they arrived in their home-system in [[1342]]. The war between the two factions culminated around sieges of redoubts on the asteroids surrounding their world. Eventually, in order to survive, they accepted Letters of Marque: commissions from the [[Ministry of Tranquility]] to engage in the services of the Covenant, though often this was merely used as an excuse to continue raiding. The Kig-yar spent much of this time preying on the ships of the Covenant's enemies, such as the humans.
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| Though they theoretically stand as equals of the [[Unggoy]], the Kig-yar are actually in an elevated position, as most of the other races ignore the Unggoy, while the Kig-yar are purposefully cruel to them to reassure themselves of their own superiority. This reached a boiling point in [[2462]], when some Kig-yar attempted to poison recreational narcotics the Unggoy enjoyed which would have left the Unggoy sterile, in retaliation for the Unggoy encroaching on their habitats and displacing Kig-yar nests. Although a [[Prophet of Truth|junior staffer]] in the [[Ministry of Concert]] found evidence of this, the [[High Council]] failed to properly investigate the incident, culminating in the [[Unggoy Rebellion]].
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| ==Description==
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| ===Anatomy and Physiology===
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| [[File:JackalCloseup.jpg|thumb|right|200px|A closeup on a Kig-yar Jackal's face. Notice the razor-sharp teeth and scaly skin.]]
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| Despite their saurian origins, Kig-yar are avian in appearance, with feather-like quills or manes of feathers on their heads and arms on males and calloused plates on females for protection from males during mating, and three-toed bird-like feet with deadly talons. They have three fingers on each hand with razor-sharp claws. Kig-yar have bird-like beaks and razor sharp teeth that can easily rip flesh apart. They are mainly carnivorous and are known to consume the flesh of other sentient beings.
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| Though they are not a low-gravity species, they do have many qualities that are shared with species from low-g worlds. The female of the species lack the spiny plumage (said plumage's color serving as indication of the Kig-yar's mood)<ref name="Contact">'''''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''''', pages 56/58</ref> of the male; replacing it with calloused plates at the forearms and the rear of the head. This thick skin helps protect the female during courtship. When mating, the male can choose to fertilize the egg, in which a male is produced, whereas if the eggs are not fertilized a female is produced. Aside from the obvious differences in reproductive organs, the male and female of the species are more or less identical in appearance with no physical disparity or mass distribution between the sexes.
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| Kig-yar skin is scaly and ranges from light brown or sickly yellow to dark gray in color. Their blood is bright purple in color, similar to that of the [[Sangheili]], possibly showing a similar chemical makeup. The lack of calcium in their skeletons makes them a poor source of food for potential [[Flood]] forms. However, they have been utilized as [[Flood Combat Form|combat forms]] during at least one [[Battle of the Flood-controlled Shield World|engagement]]. <ref>''[[Halo Wars]]''</ref>.
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| {{SectStub}}
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| ==Culture==
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| [[File:Ancient KigYar.png|thumb|200px|Ancient Kig-Yar on Eayn.]]
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| Unlike many other Covenant client races such as the Unggoy, Kig-yar were space-faring long before joining the Covenant. As such, the Kig-yar are unique among [[Covenant races]]: rather than being faithful followers of the [[San 'Shyuum|Prophets']] religion, they are mercenaries paid by the Covenant. However, due to the long time they have been in the Covenant, a large number of them have accepted the [[Covenant religion|Covenant religion]]. Kig-yar have been known to live fairly peaceful lives with humans, as evidenced by the relationship between [[the Rubble]] and [[Reth]]'s forces on [[Metisette]]. When the Kig-yar were finally ordered by the Prophets to attack and destroy the humans of the Rubble, many of them even regretted the order. This is likely due to the pragmatic, mercantile culture of their race. They can likely live happily with anyone in a relationship of trade.
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| ===Role within The Covenant===
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| When inducted into the Covenant, the Kig-yar were intended to fill the role later assigned to the Unggoy as the Covenant's foot soldiers; however, the temperament of the Kig-yar made this impractical. Instead, they were placed in roles that better suited their abilities, such as reconnaissance and service in commando units, which allowed the exploitation of their fine senses in the battlefield. They are also deployed as police forces on occupied worlds, although this was always done under the supervision of members of the higher castes.
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| Kig-yar have little status in the Covenant hierarchy and are subservient to all but the Unggoy. Although they technically stand as equals with the Grunts, the reality is that Kig-yar are usually in an elevated position, while the other races consider the Grunts beneath notice. The Kig-yar are often purposefully cruel to them in order to assure themselves of their own superiority. The Kig-yar are not represented on the [[High Council]] but are instead vetted by the [[Ministry of Concert]]. However, unlike the other castes, the Kig-yar do not vocally complain about their position but instead have selected to siphon off resources to their brothers. Whether the Covenant leadership was aware of this is currently unknown.
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| The ranking authorities in Covenant society have been known to let Kig-yar eat prisoners alive, perhaps indicating that the Kig-yar are much more bloodthirsty and cruel than is typically seen in combat. This probability is supported by the vicious screeches, squawks, and squalls that Kig-yar make in combat, and the UNSC remark stating that Kig-yar are ''"too bloodthirsty"'' to really be called snipers. The Kig-yar are despised by most Sangheili for their devious nature. They all chose the side of the [[Covenant Loyalists]] after the [[Great Schism]] (This is mostly because the Covenant loyalists payed better or because of their resentment of the Sangheili).
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| ===Government===
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| The Kig-yar government is a post-industrial [[Capitalism|capitalist system]], with a population of 978 million.<ref>'''''[[Bestiarum]]'''''</ref> It is also described as an [[wikipedia:ochlocracy|ochlocracy]], a system of government best described as a government by mob, or the intimidation of constitutional authorities. Presumably, this implies that whatever form of local government the Kig-yar possess is ineffective and ignored.
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| {{SectStub}}
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| ===Naming===
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| Kig-yar are not permitted by the Elites to have more than one name, though Kig-yar society has never placed a premium on such things, thus the restriction is of little consequence to them. In private, Kig-yar often make use of their full names.{{Citation needed}} Kig-yar names usually consist of a single syllable, with two consonants and one vowel, such as [[Yeg]], [[Jak]] and [[Bok]]. However, [[Chur'R-Yar]] and [[Chur'R-Mut]], who were both [[Shipmaster|Shipmistresses]], have multiple syllables in their names. It is speculated that the Kig-yar naming system is at least partially based on sex, rank, or both.
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| ==Homeworld==
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| {{Main|Eayn}}
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| Eayn is the homeworld of the Kig-yar species and is the primary satellite of the planet [[Chu'ot]]. It is characterized by its single equatorial ocean, sparse volcanism, and almost total lack of glaciation. Only about one-third of all Kig-yar who still reside in the Y'deio system call Eayn their home; many have chosen to live among the minor planets within the asteroid belt since their initial contact with the Covenant.
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| ==Rank Structure==
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| <!-- Please provide a summarized description of each rank. Follow the Sangheili article Rank Structure format. -->
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| {{Col-begin}}
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| {{Col-1-of-2}}
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| ==="Jackal" ranks===
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| {| cellpadding="5" border="1" style="clear: both;"
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| ! '''Rank'''
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| ! '''Image'''
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| ! '''Description'''
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| |-
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| ! colspan="3"|'''Jackal Leaders'''
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| |-
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| |'''[[Kig-yar Zealot|Jackal zealot]]'''
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| | Little is known of the Kig-yar Zealot's role. The only known Kig-yar Zealot is [[Zhar (Kig-yar)|Zhar]]<ref name="Contact"/>.
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| |-
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| ! colspan="3"|'''Jackal Specialists'''
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| |-
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| |'''[[Kig-yar Ranger|Jackal Ranger]]'''
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| |[[File:Jackal Rangers.jpg|100px]]
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| | Jackal Rangers are trained for zero-G [[Extra-vehicular activity|EVA]] combat, and are equipped with [[vacuum suit]]s and magnetic boots.
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| |'''[[Jackal Sniper]]'''
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| |[[File:JackalSniper.png|100px]]
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| | Sniper Jackals are the Covenant's foremost long-range combatants. They are known to carry weapons such as [[Type-31 Rifle|needle rifles]] and [[Type-50 Sniper Rifle System|beam rifles]], but do not use point-defense gauntlets as to better wield their weapon.
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| |-
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| ! colspan="3"|'''Jackal Infantry'''
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| |'''[[Jackal Major]]'''
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| |[[File:JackalMajor.png|100px]]
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| | Major Jackals are more experienced than Minors and are issued stronger point-defense gauntlets that emit a violet-colored shield post Great Schism and an orange or red colored shield pre Great Schism. They typically carry plasma pistols and needlers.
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| |'''[[Jackal Minor]]'''
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| |[[File:JackalMinor.png|100px]]
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| | The rank of Minor is the lowest field rank a Jackal can attain. They are armed with standard-strength, light blue [[Kig-yar Point Defense Gauntlet|point defense gauntlets]] and small arms such as the [[Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol|plasma pistol]] or [[Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher|needler]].
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| |}
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| {{col-2-of-2}}
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| ==="Skirmisher" ranks===
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| {| cellpadding="5" border="1" style="clear: both;"
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| ! '''Rank'''
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| ! '''Image'''
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| ! '''Description'''
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| |-
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| ! colspan="3"|'''[[Skirmisher]] Leaders'''
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| |-
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| |'''[[Skirmisher Champion]]'''
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| |[[File:HReach - Skirmisher.png|100px]]
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| | The Champion is the highest rank of the Skirmishers, a specialized group of shock troops comprising of more heavily built Kig-yar, deployed on the ground for their viciousness and fierce tactics. Members of this rank have bright red armor, a helmet, and shields. They appear to be the leading rank of Skirmishers, being neither infantry nor specialists.
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| ! colspan="3"|'''Skirmisher Specialists'''
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| |'''[[Skirmisher Commando]]'''
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| | Members of this rank have bright green armor and a helmet, and will occasionally use [[Armor Abilities|holograms]] to deceive the enemy.
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| |'''[[Skirmisher Murmillo]]'''
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| |[[File:Murmillo.png|75px]]
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| | Members of this rank have gold armor, helmets, and occasionally elbow shields.
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| |-
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| ! colspan="3"|'''Skirmisher Infantry'''
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| |'''[[Skirmisher Major]]'''
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| |[[File:Skirmisher_Major.png|100px]]
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| | Members of this rank have red feathers and red-gray armor.
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| |-
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| |'''[[Skirmisher Minor]]'''
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| |[[File:Halo Reach - Skirmisher.png|100px]]
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| | The lowest rank of Skirmisher; members of this rank have black feathers and gray armor.
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| |}
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| {{Col-end}}
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| {{Jackal Ranks}}
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| {{SectStub}}
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| ==Trivia==
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| *The Kig-yar were the first Covenant species fought by human beings. [[Staff Sergeant]]s [[Avery Junior Johnson|Avery Johnson]] and [[Nolan Byrne]] fought two and killed both of them in the [[Harvest Skirmish|skirmish]] over [[Harvest]], shortly before the [[First Battle of Harvest]]. Later, they became the first Covenant species encountered by the SPARTAN-IIs aboard the ''[[Unrelenting]]'' at [[Chi Ceti IV]].<ref name="FoR">'''''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''''', pages 125/126</ref>
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| *The name '''"Jackal"''' comes from a wild dog that is similar to the coyote, and is a reference to their scavenger appearance and nature.
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| *"Kig-yar" is Breton for "chicken" and Phonetic Welsh for "chicken meat".{{Citation needed}}
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| *Chur'R-Yar and Chur'R-Mut are the only known female Kig-yar, and were also the first two female Covenant characters to appear in ''Halo'' canon.
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| *Although Jackals carry grenades in ''[[Halo 2]]'' , they are never seen using them. This is possibly because of the fact that, in terms of game mechanics, they '[[Dual-Wielding|dual-wield]]' their energy shield with whatever other weapon they are carrying.
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| *In-game, all Jackals shoot left-handed and are the only Covenant species to do so (with the exception of [[Rtas 'Vadum]]ee). However, in ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' Jackals shoot with their right hands, and carry their shields with their left.
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| *Kig-yar possess a salty, occasionally acrid smell.<ref name="B.net"/>
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| *A melee can kill them instantly, so use this advantage when near them.
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| *There are Jackals that do not have the bright spines of most of their kind. These could be females.
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| ===Mistakes===
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| *In ''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]],'' their blood is said to be blue, despite its actual purple coloration.<ref>'''[[The Fall of Reach]]''', page 327</ref>
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| *The first time Jackals are encountered in-game is in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'' on the level ''[[Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved Level)|Halo]]''. They do not appear in the first level, ''[[Pillar of Autumn (Level)|Pillar of Autumn]]'', due to the Covenant's mistrust of them being on enemy vessels because of their pirating ways. However, in ''[[Halo: The Flood|The Flood]]'', they are mentioned as boarding the {{UNSCship|Pillar of Autumn}} during their initial attack.
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| ==Gallery==
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| <gallery widths="150" orientation="landscape">
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| File:Jackal sculpt.jpeg|The prototype of McFarlane Toys' Jackal figure.
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| File:JackalWHelm2.jpg|The helmet worn by Jackals in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
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| File:Behindyou.jpg|Jackal in the level ''[[Assault on the Control Room]]'' in ''Halo: Combat Evolved''.
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| File:Jackal Lakeside.jpg|A Kig-yar Sniper from ''Halo 2'' wields a [[Type-50 Sniper Rifle System|particle beam rifle]].
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| File:Jackal.jpg|A Kig-yar Minor with an overcharged plasma pistol in ''Halo 2''.
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| File:1215645880 Jackal Blood.jpg|A Jackal's blood stain.
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| File:19317669-Full.jpg|A Kig-yar Minor on patrol on [[Installation 00|The Ark]] in ''Halo 3''.
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| File:Halo3 Jackal.jpg|A Kig-yar sniper from ''Halo 3''.
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| File:SHARPSHOOTER!.jpg|A Kig-yar sniper with a Beam Rifle in ''Halo 3: ODST''.
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| File:Kig-Yar_Variants.jpg|A Kig-yar sniper and a Kig-yar infantryman seen in ''Halo 3: ODST''.
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| File:Kig-Yar_Phalanx_Halo_3-_ODST.jpg|A Kig-Yar lance armed with [[Plasma Pistols]] and [[Point Defense Gauntlet]]s as seen in ''Halo 3: ODST''.
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| File:Cov jackalfinal.jpg|Concept art of the Kig-yar for ''Halo Wars''.
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| File:Jackals.jpg|Kig-Yar, as they appear in ''Halo Wars''.
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| File:HaloReach - Jackal.png|Jackals in ''Halo: Reach''.
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| File:Kig-yar Major III.jpg|A [[Kig-yar Major]] in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.
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| </gallery>
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| ==Sources==
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| {{reflist}}
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| ==Related Pages==
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| *[[Kig-yar/Gameplay|Kig-yar in gameplay]]
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| *[[Kig-yar Point Defense Gauntlet]]
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| {{Covenant}}
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| [[Category:Living Organisms]]
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| [[Category:Covenant Species]]
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| [[Category:Kig-yar]]
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